Ex Deus Ans, Your Shadow
by Ayame Natsu
Summary: When the shadow of a hero speaks out about injustice against himself and writes a letter to the keeper of such a shade, what truths could be spoken? What could the hero say to the thing that made him live in the first place?


Hey.

Guess I was able to finally have the time to write something to you, me having so little time left already. I suspect you'll be coming through that locked door any time now. I heard you enter the temple. It's been a while since you looked at me. I mean, actually look at me, not through me, and so I think you need confirmation if I was real. Well, I am. Sorry to disappoint you. But this is going to be a long letter, so bare with me before you leave to defeat Ganondorf again. It's the least you could do since you're always the bane of my existence.

You always manage to conquer me, hero—destroy and nullify and shatter me, hero. No matter how vigorously I train, think, reason, learn…you best me. Not because you're better than me. We both know that you're not since I have the advantage of not being able to tire. No, you're able to because of two things. One is the fact that you have absolutely no memory of how much you used to care and it tears me apart, and the other is that I don't own the will in our strange goddess-born bond. You do. You're the hero, after all, so you can't be weighted down with such nonsense as love and lust.

You're my complete and exact opposite. While you feel remorse, anguish and pity, I feel everything else. I desire and toil. While you are dynamically personalized, I am monotoned. Your bright, lemondrop hair has only been touched by shining hues. Mine is dull, dead silver. I am pseudo, barely noticeable and formed and can create only pain. You produce blood, sweat, tears, heat and light. I am everything you are not and refuse to be. I am your deepest, darkest part of you. I am your seven deadly sins that you ignore, but they give me…well, I can't really say 'life' now can I? I am neither live nor dead. After all, I am just your shadow.

Despite your obvious intelligence, your nativity is very apparent when it comes to me. You refuse me the best you can. But every time you slay me, when you seemingly end my pitiful existence with your holy blade, you tear a part of yourself. I am never gone, just lose my form, but you never remember who you just struck, and why ever time you see my crimson orbs look into yours when you notice me on my isle, a chord plucks inside you and you waver. It gets stronger after every visit you pay to the Water Temple and your expression always changes more to the boy you were when you snuggled into my arms, afraid of letting go. You never recall that you've done your journey over…goddesses, how many times have you done it? How many times have I heard the bars rise on the other side, you sheathing your sword and leave, the splashing footsteps fading from my hearing as my essence slips away and forms your shadow once more? Countless, it seems, though that's a bit doubtful. Confused? It wouldn't be surprising.

It's a spell that your precious Princess Zelda cast upon ye. But of course, you wouldn't do anything about it even if you could, which there is a possibility of that occurring anyway. You enjoy your adventures. You love to save the Princess, Hyrule and its lazy inhabitants, who do nothing for themselves, don't you? Any problem, Link the Wonder Boy fixes it, free of charge, without a doubt in your innocently fake mind of them doing the same thing over and over is actually a –bad- thing.

No, because the world is so much simpler if you memorize the same boring story. You have no inkling of any desire inside of you, yet you save everyone and will continue to so for endless amounts of time. You said that you would end the neverending circle when you confronted Zelda the first time you left. But everything reset. Everything is the same. Why? You promised me, Link. Why?

But you're remembering things. Those dreams that you have is freaking the inner you out dramatically, hence when you wake and your heart is thumping so loudly, you feel more complete. You almost become yourself. But you don't. When your eyes open and you see the glimpse of bloodstained eyes in your skull, you think of someone you used to know. Someone you used to love and feel safe around. Then you're confused. But you see me still. And it enrages you, as it does me. But I'm just part of your imagination-the shadow on the wall can't be moving by itself, can it?- the voice in your head that you disregard and lover forgotten.

You're lying to yourself, Hero of Time. You should stop before the dreams start pulling up the deep, dark abysses that you created within yourself. You might be disgusted to know what all you've done before. Being gay is a sin, naughty one, and you've done many sinful things with me. Very sinful. But I digress. You came to me willingly, you told me that you loved me; you laid beside me with your head against my chest listening to the silence of the missing heartbeat.

It's time for you to wake up, Linky-boy. This will be the last time I will stand by and do nothing. Not again. You striking me down is the worst betrayal and you don't even know. I will not play alone with this emotionless façade any more.

Hero of Time, you will be awakened. I promise.

~Ex Deus Ans,~

Your Shadow


End file.
